We both laugh while I wipe the tears away. She kisses my cheek. “I’ll bring you some clothes tomorrow when we bust you loose from this place.”
She walks to the door, and I call out to her, “Brenda.” She turns and faces me. “Thank you.”
“You can thank me by doing right by her”—she points her head in Lilah’s direction—“and by doing right by you.”
With those words she leaves, closing the door behind her.
Everything is just too much to deal with. My head hurts, my heart aches, and when I finally do crawl into bed right after Brenda leaves, sleep takes over, dragging me into a slumber. In my dream, I feel fingertips gently stroking my hand, butterfly kisses, and most of all, an overwhelming sense of love and peacefulness.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Jackson
I sit in a chair in the dark room, holding her hand and pressing small kisses to it. People would probably look at this and say I need help, but I just need Bella.
Knowing she is going to be released tomorrow is something I don’t want to think about. Even if she won’t allow me in her room, I sneak in at night just to hold her hand and watch her sleep.
The bruises have faded, and her lip is almost healed with just a touch of scabbing. I would give anything to be able to get into the bed with her just to hold her. Just to feel her next to me.
After the scene at my mother’s house, I’ve been almost lost between the two, and the only thing that really calms me is Bella.
Mick is staying close by, giving me my space, waiting for me to blow up. I know it’s coming; he knows it’s coming.
The door opens with the night nurse coming in just to check and make sure things are okay.
“Hey, Jackson,” she whispers. “It’s almost dawn. She should be up soon.”
I nod my head, knowing she usually gets up at six or sixty-thirty. I just want to spend every minute with her before I’m no longer able to.
“She’s going home today,” she continues while she writes things down in the chart. “Did you figure out how you are going to sneak into her house yet?” She laughs silently.
I think it’s a running joke with the nurses that I’m going to be like Spiderman and scale her house. If I thought I could do it, I would.
“Very funny.” I laugh, also thinking about it.
When Bella starts to moan and her eyes start to flutter, we both stop what we are doing.
I quietly get up, walking into the dark corner right before her eyes open up. “Oh, hey. I thought I felt someone,” she says while rubbing her face with her good hand.
“Just me checking your vitals. You excited about going home?” she asks Bella.
“I can’t wait. Gotta say these beds suck.” They both laugh.
“How about we check the stitches on your head? If they’re healed enough, I think we could finally wash that hair of yours. Get the smell of hospital out of it.” The nurse has Bella turn her back toward the door, giving me just enough time to sneak out.
“She’s up early,” Brian, the nighttime security guy, says. He owns the security company that will be watching Bella.
When I called him, he didn’t even stop to ask questions. I met Brian four years ago when his seventeen-year-old daughter took off with her boyfriend to get married. Both high on coke, we found them in the middle of the park swimming in the fountain.
Four years later, she’s done a stint in rehab and is graduating beauty school.
“Yeah.” I rub my hands down my face. “I’m going to take off. Go home and get things ready. You have your guys lined up?” I ask him, but I know he’s already ahead of the game.
“I got her. Go home, sleep, maybe fucking shower. It’s a good thing these nurses are tripping over their tongues when they see you or they would be wearing masks.”
With that, I laugh before turning around and walking out.
Six hours later, I’m rolling up to the hospital freshly showered. Brian wasn’t wrong. I stunk!
I don’t even think I took my shoes off when I face planted in my bed.
The minute I walk inside I see Bruno, the daytime guard, up next to his chair.
“What’s the matter?” I ask him.
“Nothing, boss, just waiting for her to leave. Doctor passed by about an hour ago, signed her papers,” he says, looking at his watch.
“Brenda here yet?” I ask, standing next to him, putting my hands in my pockets. Sadness looms over me.
“Yup, got here about fifteen minutes ago.” Bruno isn’t one to talk much and it’s fine.
Mick walks off the elevator five minutes later. “What are you doing here?” I ask him.
“Nothing, just came to check shit out,” he says, slapping me on my shoulder. I know he came to make sure I’m okay.